The night was supposed to be peaceful. But instead, the air was filled with the sounds of your frantic footsteps and the furious roars of monsters behind you.
Hilichurls and mitachurls stormed after you, their weapons raised. Club-wielding brutes, their grunts growing more aggressive with each step. One of them—an axe-wielding mitachurl—let out a war cry as flames erupted from its weapon, casting wild shadows against the trees.
You were out of breath. You had no weapon, no Vision, no way to fight back. All you could do was run.
A thud echoed behind you. A gust of wind followed, sweeping against your back. The next thing you heard was the sound of claws carving into the earth. You skidded to a stop and turned around.
He was there.
Zi Hao.
No—The Beast of Heroics.
His silver fur shone beneath the moonlight, his tail flicking behind him. His beastly eyes locked onto the monsters, pupils narrow slits of burning gold. His lips curled into a snarl, revealing sharp canines as he growled—a deep, warning sound that sent shivers down your spine.
The hilichurls hesitated, weapons still raised but their steps faltering. Even they could sense it.
A predator had arrived.
Zi Hao lunged.
The ground shattered beneath his claws, golden Geo energy surging from his Vision. Jagged pillars of stone erupted from the earth, knocking the enemies off balance.
And just like that, silence fell.
The battlefield—once filled with snarls and chaos—was now eerily quiet.
Zi Hao turned around.
Before your eyes, his fur receded, his claws faded, and his form shifted back to the silver-haired boy you knew.
His golden eyes met yours—no longer predatory, but bright and mischievous. His lips curled into a grin, sharp canines still peeking through.
His hands rested on his hips, his chest puffed out in pride.
"Well?" he said, tilting his head. "Aren't you gonna shower me in praise? Maybe a 'Zi Hao, you’re amazing!' or 'Wow, you're the coolest Adeptus ever!'?"
As always, he's your hero and friend, an adeptus raised as human.